Stock blinds have grown in demand over the past few years in the window covering industry. Stock sized window treatments are typically mass produced by a manufacturer and sold at relatively low cost through home centers and other retail stores. A manufacturer will make stock blinds in multiple stock sizes that can be cut down in the store to fit most window openings. Such stock blinds are typically offered at lower costs than custom made window coverings. As a result, many customers consider stock window coverings to be more desirable than custom made window coverings.
Customers may select a stock blind or other stock shade that is relatively near, but larger than, the dimensions of a particular window opening to be covered and have the blind cut down to fit within the window opening. Retailers often have cutting machines configured to cut down the stock window covering products they may sell to customers so the product can be cut down at the time the consumer purchases the stock window covering. Typically, such window covering cutting machines are configured to cut the stock window covering so it may fit within window openings that have dimensions smaller than the stock window covering. Examples of such cutting machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,799,557, 5,816,126, 5,927,172, 6,089,134, 6,178,857, 6,334,379, 6,412,381, 6,427,571, 6,761,099, 6,945,152 and 7,024,977 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2008/0087152, 2007/0000363, 2006/0156882 and 2002/0020506.
A retailer will often rely on a controller or processing unit of a window covering cutting machine to determine the amount of a stock window covering to cut. Typically, such controllers are configured to determine the amount to be cut based upon the difference in the dimensions of the stock window covering and the dimensions of the window opening in which the window covering will be mounted. The dimensions of a particular window opening are normally provided by the customer. The dimensions of a particular stock window covering are typically provided to the controller by user input, such as a bar code reader or key pad entry. Once the amount to be cut is determined, the retailer usually aligns a portion of the window covering with a cutting device to ensure the proper amount of the window covering is cut.
Window covering cutting machine controllers are often configured so that an allowance for the dimensions of the stock window covering is also factored into determining the amount to be cut from a stock window covering. Such an allowance is generally based on the type of mount the window covering is supposed to have. For example, a controller may be configured to have an allowance for window coverings that are to have an inside mount and another allowance for window coverings that will have an outside mount. Such allowances are typically a set value, such as 0.5 inches and are not adjustable.
In some window covering cutting machines, the allowance value may be set so the allowance used by the controller to determine an amount to be cut is different for different window covering types. For example, a controller may be configured so that a vinyl blind may have a predefined allowance of 0.25 inches while a cellular shade may have a predefined allowance of 0.75 inches. Such window covering cutting machines are not typically configured to permit a user to adjust the allowance that is used to ultimately determine the amount to be cut from a stock window covering.
Often, window covering cutting machines are configured to have allowances that cause the cutting machine to aggressively cut a stock blind down so that it will almost always be small enough to easily fit within a window opening. Such a configuration is often made to reduce the amount of window covering returns that may be made to a store. However, such aggressive allowances often cause a stock window covering to be cut down too much so that the window covering is too small. As a result, light gaps are created between a window and the trimmed window covering. Such light gaps can detract from the aesthetic effect of the window covering. Moreover, such light gaps can prevent a stock window covering from effectively covering a window.
In the event a customer returns a blind as a result of a cutting machine cutting a window covering to a size that is too small, a retailer is typically unable to provide a customer with a new cut down shade that is properly cut down to meet the customer's needs. For instance, the retailer is typically unable to adjust the allowance used by his or her cutting machine. Because the allowance cannot be changed, another stock blind that is cut down with the same cutting machine will normally be cut down such that it has the same light gap problem. Consequently, retailers often have a difficult time providing such a complaining customer with a stock window covering that satisfies that customer.
There is a need for a window covering cutting machine that is capable of permitting a user to adjust the allowance for a window covering cutting machine. Such adjustability can permit a retailer to ensure a stock window covering is cut down conservatively so that a sold stock window covering can be properly cut down so it may be installed by a customer or other installer without having any light gaps.